Gas bottle rack for trailers



April 21, 1953 L. B. oBENcHAlN 2,635,939

GAS BOTTLE RACK FvOR TRAILERS Original Filed May 14, 1948 Patented Apr.21, 1953 UNITED 4STATES PATENT OFFICE GAS BOTTLE RACK FOR TRAILERS LeoB. benchain, Oceanway, Fla.

substituted for abandoned application Serial N'o. 27,010, May 14, 1948.This application .Tuly 18;, 1952, Serial No. 299,667

2 Claims. 1

This invention relates to gas bottle supports, and more particularly togas bottle support of the locked type suitable for use on trailers or inother exposed locations.

A main object of the invention is` to provide a novel and improvedstructure for mounting gas bottles on the forward portion of a trailercoach whereby the control valves thereof are protected from the weatherand whereby the bottles are locked in position to prevent theft thereof.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved support forgas bottles adapted for use on trailers or in other exposed locations,said support being simple in construction, easy to install andLproviding a substantial degree of protection of the 4bottles and thecontrol valves therefor against tampering and weather conditions andpreventing` theft of the bottles.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparentfrom the following description and claims, and from the accompanyingdrawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the forward portion of a trailer coachprovided with a gas bottle supporting structure according to the presentinvention and showing a pair of gas bottles mounted thereon.

Figure 2 is an enlarged vertical cross sectional view taken on line 2-2of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a cross sectional view taken on line 3 3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a top plan View of a modified gas bottle supportingstructure according to the present invention.

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary cross sectional detail view taken online 5'5 of Figure 4.

Referring to the drawings, I designates a conventional trailer coachhaving the usual front tongue structure |2. Bolted to the tongue I2 is ahorizontal plate member I3 to which are rigidly secured the spacedannular upstanding ring members I 4, I4 adapted to receive the annularbottom 'flanges l5 of a pair of conventional gas bottles IB, I6, asshown in Figures 1 and 2. The gas bottles are provided with the usualtop neck portions |1, |'I each having a top handle I8.

Plate member I3 may be secured to the tongue structure I 2 by means ofconventional bolts 5U or by any other suitable fastening means such ashook bolts engaging the respective channels of the tongue structure. Thebolt holes in plate member I3 serve as drainage openings to allow rainwater and the like to freely escape from the space within the annularring members I4, I4.

Secured to the plate member I3 intermediate (Cl. S12- 100) having anaperture through` which stud 20 pro-- Cover member 2| is provided at`its rear' intermediate marginal portion with an apertured'. Designatedat 23 is` a flat barl jects.

horizontal lug 22. member which is Vapertured 'ateachl end.y At one endthe bar member has a nut 24 welded thereto over the aperture, which isVthreaded onto the stud 2B. The aperture at the other endA ofv thebarmember 23 registers with lug 22 and is locked thereto by a suitablepadlock 25. 23 is provided with an upstan'ding handle lug 2B whichserves as a handle in threading the bar member onto the stud 20.

In mounting the bottles I6, I6. they are first` positioned with theirannular bottom flanges re-l ceived in ring members I4, I4, and the usualcon-Y duit connections are made to the bottles. TheV selecting valve forthe bottles is shown at 21.. After the bottles are connected to the gasline..

cover member 2| is placed thereover, the stud 20 projecting through theaperture in said cover' member. Bar member 23 is then threaded onto thestud and is rotated until plate member 2| is securely engaged with thetop rims of the neck portions I1, II. The free end of bar member 23 isthen brought into alignment with lug 22 and the padlock 25 is engagedtherewith.

It will be seen that the valve 2l is covered by the cover member 2| andis substantially protected against the weather. Furthermore, it isimpossible to remove cover member 2| without removing padlock 25. Thebottles I6, I6 therefore cannot be removed since they are held inposition by the bottom ring members I4, I4 and the depending ange of thecover member 2|.

In the embodiment of Figures 4 and 5, the top cover member is designatedat 2| and has secured to the inside surface of its rear depending Iiangeportion a vertical channe1 bracket ZIB, each side flange of said bracketbeing formed with a vertical slot 29. Secured to the bottom plate is a`vertical upstanding bar member I9 formed adjacent its top and with arearwardly extending horizontal arm 30. The end of arm 30 is receivedbetween the flanges of bracket 28 and secured to said end is atransverse pin member 3| whose ends are slidably received in thevertical slots 29 of said flanges. A diagonal brace bar 32 connects theend of arm 3|) with bar I0', increasing the rigidity of said arm withrespect to Bar memberL said bar. The top end of arm I9' is provided withan upstanding apertured tab 33 which projects through a slot 34 formedin cover member 2l. To lock the cover member 2| against upward movement,the hasp of a suitable padlock 35 may be engaged in the aperture of tab33, as shown in Figure 4. To lift the cover member, padlock 35 isremoved and the cover member may then be raised, the slots 29 allowingthe cover member to be raised sufficiently to release the dependingperipheral flange of said cover member from engagement with the top neckportions of the gasA bottles mounted on the bottom plate of thestructure.

While certain specic embodiments of a gas bottle supporting structurefor trailer coaches and the like have been disclosed in the foregoingdescription, it will be understood that various modilcations within thespirit or the invention may occur to those skilled in the art.Therefore, ,it is intended that no limitations be placed on theinvention except as defined by the scope of the appended claims.

This application is a substitute of application Serial No. 27,010, ledMay 14, 1948, now foreited, Gas Bottle Rack for Trailer.

What is claimed is: Y

1. A support for gas bottles comprising a base plate, a plurality ofrespective ring members secured to said base plateadapted to receive theoase flanges of the respective gas bottles, a vertical upstanding barmember secured to said base plate, a cover member provided With adepending peripheral flange, said cover member being Aadapted to beplaced over the top ends of the neck portions of the bottles positionedin said ring members, and being formed with an opening, a threaded studcarried at the top end of said bar member and projecting through saidopening, a flat bar threaded on said stud, and means for locking saidflat bar to said cover member.

2. A support for gas bottles comprising a base plate, a plurality ofrespective ring members secured to said base plate adapted to receivethe base flanges of the respective gas bottles, a vertical upstandingbar member secured to said base plate, a cover member provided with adepending peripheral flange, sai-d cover member being adapted to beplaced over the top ends of the neck portions of the bottles positionedin said ring members Vand being formed with an opening, a threaded studcarried at the top end of said bar member and projecting through saidopening, a horizontal flat bar threaded on said stud, said bar beingformed with an aperture, and a horizontal apertured lug carried by saidcover member, the bar being movable into overlying position on said lugand the bar aperture being registrable with the aperture of said lug.

LEO B. OBENCHAIN.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 1,543,743 Ballard June 18, 1925 1,698,489 Bickford Jan. 8,1929 2,084,231 Watkins June 15, 1937 2,166,043 Double July 11, 19392,171,110 Feicht Aug. 29, 1939 2,172,310 Thomas Sept. 5, 1939 2,245,873Ritz-Woller June 17, 1941 2,271,702 McCartney Feb. 3, 1942 2,278,232Anderson Mar. 31, 1943 2,337,960 Anderson Dec. 28, 1943 2,567,370 FauserSept. 11, 1951

